English–French

“gnaw at” in French

French

Pronunciation

IPA/tiʁaje/

Example

La faim me tiraillait.

Hunger was gnawing at me.

Illustration for tirailler (gnaw at)

How to say “gnaw at” in French

“Gnaw at” in French is tirailler.

A body or mind repeatedly tugged off balance by discomfort or competing directions.

Full entry for tirailler: usage tips, similar words and word origin

Example sentences with tirailler

Mon estomac me tiraillait pendant la réunion.

My stomach was aching during the meeting.

Tips for using tirailler

  • In être tiraillé entre A et B, tiraillé agrees with the person, while entre introduces the competing alternatives.

“gnaw at” in other languages